19.05.2026 22:00
In the UEFA Europa League final, German representative Freiburg and English side Aston Villa will face off in Istanbul to win Europe's second-tier trophy. Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery holds the title of the most successful manager in UEFA Europa League history, having lifted the trophy four times. Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster, who has yet to win a trophy in his career, would claim his first title and secure his club's first European championship if victorious.
The Aston Villa-Freiburg match, to be played on Wednesday in the UEFA Europa League final, will pit record-seeking manager Unai Emery against Julian Schuster, who dreams of achieving his first victory.
GRAND FINAL IN ISTANBUL, GREAT EXCITEMENT
The grand final holds great significance in terms of the career journeys of the two managers, who will engage in a tactical battle on the sidelines. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, who holds the record as the most successful manager in UEFA Europa League history, plans to make his record untouchable by winning the same cup once more. Meanwhile, Schuster, who is aiming for a major success in his first year as a manager, is calculating how to win the cup and go down in club history.
EMERY ON COURSE FOR RECORD
The Spanish manager Unai Emery, who once again proved his mettle by guiding Aston Villa into the Champions League spots in the Premier League, is one of the first names that come to mind when European leagues are mentioned. Emery, who has played in 5 Europa League finals, lifted the trophy with Sevilla in three consecutive seasons in 2014, 2015, and 2016. The 54-year-old manager, who achieved a fourth success in 2021 with Spanish side Villarreal, lost in the final with Arsenal in 2019. The experienced manager, who will lead Aston Villa to his 6th final in this organization, aims to make history by securing the club's first major European cup since their Champions Cup triumph in 1982.
SCHUSTER COULD ACHIEVE FIRST WIN
Schuster, who started as an assistant coach at his former club Freiburg in 2018, and after various roles at the club, took over the reins in summer 2024 following Christian Streich's 12-year tenure, is proud to have taken the modestly budgeted Freiburg to their first major European final in history. If the young manager emerges victorious against the tournament's most experienced figure, he will secure Freiburg's first major trophy in history and crown a dream-like European season. This victory would also be the 41-year-old manager's first trophy in his career.
44 DIFFERENT MANAGERS HAVE WON
44 different managers have won the UEFA Europa League to date. Emery tops the list with 4 trophies, followed by Italian manager Giovanni Trapattoni, who lifted the cup three times with Juventus (2) and Inter Milan. Diego Simeone, Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benitez, Juande Ramos, and Luis Molowny have each won the championship twice.